ELDER HELEN’S IRON SKILLET CORNBREAD

ELDER HELEN’S IRON SKILLET CORNBREAD
Elder Helen Bosler

I served the Warrenton Presbyterian Church in Abbeville, SC, in the 1980s.  This was a country church full of people who farmed the same land their great grandparents had farmed.  When we had church dinners, they served the most delicious food.  Helen Bosler was the first female of this very conservative congregation.  She made great cornbread!

This recipe makes a nice, moist cornbread with a crisp crust.

INCREDIENTS:

·        2 tablespoons of bacon grease (2 tablespoons of vegetable oil will do)

·        1 ¾ cups of self-rising white cornmeal

·        ¼ cup of all-purpose flour

·        ¼ cup of vegetable oil

·        1 ½ cups buttermilk

·        1 to 4 tablespoons of water, as desired and if necessary

DIRECTIONS:

1.      Put the bacon grease into the bottom of the iron skillet and tilt and turn until the bottom is well covered.

2.     Place skillet in oven.

3.     Turn on the oven to 450 degrees.

4.     In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal and flour.

5.     Stir in the mix the buttermilk and oil.  If the batter seems too thick, you can add a little water.

6.     When the oven has reached 450 degrees, remove the skillet and pour in  the batter.

7.     Return the skillet into the oven and cook 12 to 17 minutes, and probably closer to 17 minutes than 12. 

8.     Run a knife along the edges of the cornbread.  Place a plate upside down on top of the skillet.  Hold the hot skillet and plate with protective gloves or cloths and turn upside down.  The corn bread should stay on the plate and not the skillet.  Let that dark brown bottom become the top of the cornbread when serving.